Members of Onslow County Sheriff's Office looking toward the scene after a vehicle drove from Sewell Bridge on U.S. 17 Bypass Saturday morning.

Maria Sestito / The Daily News

By Daily News staff

Published: Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 07:13 PM.

Update Sunday

Divers retrieved the body of a 31-year-old man who was driving a Jeep that fell in New River from Louis Sewell Jr. Bridge on U.S. 17 Bypass Saturday morning, according to reports to The Daily News and information from Jacksonville Police Department.

A crane — positioned on the bridge — hoisted the submerged Jeep from the river, according to a press release by Jacksonville Police Department.

Rafael Rentas Rivera of Richlands was at the wheel of the Jeep, which fell from the east lane of the bypass, according to a press release by Jacksonville Police Department.

No information released has explained the wreck’s possible cause.

First responders were notified of the wreck about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Officer Nat Fahy told The Daily News.

Divers retrieved the body of a 31-year-old man who was driving a Jeep that fell in New River from Louis Sewell Jr. Bridge on U.S. 17 Bypass Saturday morning, according to reports to The Daily News and information from Jacksonville Police Department.

A crane — positioned on the bridge — hoisted the submerged Jeep from the river, according to a press release by Jacksonville Police Department.

Rafael Rentas Rivera of Richlands was at the wheel of the Jeep, which fell from the east lane of the bypass, according to a press release by Jacksonville Police Department.

No information released has explained the wreck’s possible cause.

First responders were notified of the wreck about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Officer Nat Fahy told The Daily News.

Rivera’s body was retrieved about 4 1/2 hours later.

Shortly before noon Saturday, Jacksonville Police Department received a report of a vehicle in the water under the bridge.

Police reached the scene and observed a black Jeep on its side in the river. Jacksonville police and fire departments; Camp Lejeune Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team; USMC Provost Marshal’s Office; Onslow County Sheriff's Department; and U.S. Coast Gaurd responded.

Eastbound traffic was condensed to one lane for many hours and later completely closed during the recovery effort for a half hour.

Marine Corps fire and emergency services and Jacksonville fire officials were seen gearing up around 1:40 p.m. at the Jacksonville USO with scuba tanks. Jacksonville Fire and Emergency boats 1 and 2 transported the divers to the site.

Also at 1:40 p.m. Saturday, a Jacksonville fire truck was parked between traffic and a stretch of guardrail cordoned with crime-scene tape. The guardrail — which was buffered by a snow bank sloped almost to its top — had no damage.

Rivera's body was removed from the submerged Jeep by divers about 3 p.m. and the vehicle was lifted back on to the bridge by a “civilian” towing company’s 30-ton capacity crane, according to the Jacksonville Police Department press release.

A body has been recovered from a vehicle that fell from Louis Sewell Jr. Bridge on U.S. 17 Bypassand plunged into New River Saturday morning, according to information in a recent press release by Jacksonville Police Department and previous reports to The Daily News.

The crash is under investigation pending notification of the victim's next-of-kin.

According to the recent press release, efforts to recover the vehicle continued at that time, and all eastbound lanes of the bypass were closed.

First responders were notified about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, said Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Officer Nat Fahy.

Jacksonville fire and police officials were at the high-rise bridge Saturday afternoon. Members of Onslow County Sheriff's Office and base officials also were at the scene, which had reduced traffic to one slow lane.

A Jacksonville fire truck was parked beside a stretch of guard rail with a section cordoned off with crime-scene tape Saturday afternoon. In that cordoned area behind the truck, the snow was banked almost to the top of the rail, which had no noticeable damage.

Marine Corps fire and emergency services and Jacksonville fire officials were seen gearing up around 1:40 p.m. at the Jacksonville USO with scuba diving tanks.

By 2 p.m. Saturday, no wrecked vehicle was at the scene.

Jacksonville Police Department Spokeswoman Beth Purcell about 1:50 p.m. said the agency had not released an official statement regarding a fatality.

She did not deny the fatality.

Both Jacksonville police and military responders are working together to resolve the situation according to a previous agreement between the two entities, Fahy said.

Update at 12:51 p.m.

A motorist has died after careening from Sewell Bridge in Jacksonville on Saturday, according to city and fire officials.

First responders are actively working at the scene, according to preliminary reports.

Details about the wreck are limited at this time, but check JDNews.com for updates.